The Future, The Past, and the Times in Between
by Juliet Lily Potter
Summary: When Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione find a book by a mysterious author called Minds on Fire they begin an adventure into the future, past, and on! What will happen if Harry reads too far, or too little? A character's read for Minds on Fire's "Hidden Guardian."


A 12 year old Harry woke up in his warm Gryffindor bed, slightly dazed by his wild dream. He woke up to a book on his lap. A note slipped from the cover.

_Harry,_

_I will be much older than you by the time you read this, but listen carefully and pay attention. You must wait a week before reading the next chapter. If you read any more or any less it'll seem confusing or it won't make any sense. It will all make sense later in the story. In that week you can go back and reread past chapters (it may help later), but __**Do Not**__ read ahead._

_Good Luck,_

_The Golden Trio_

Harry stared at the note for a second and then laughed. He showed Hermione the note and the book, but she took it a bit more seriously.

"Harry, this could be bad. What if there's someone out to get you? Or Ron and I? If they killed any one of us it'd be horrible," She fussed.

Harry rolled his eyes and asked Ron about it, who had the same idea as Hermione for once.

"Guys, if it were someone out to kill one of us they would have struck already, right? Besides, look it's just a book by someone named G. H. Reede. It couldn't be that bad. I think it's a penname. Reede is an odd last name," Harry said more to himself.

"It says on the inside something about someone called 'Minds on Fire.' I wonder who they are," Hermione wondered out loud.

Ron added, "Says that's the name they write under normally. Who do you think sent it?"

The three of them shrugged. Harry opened the book to chapter one and skimmed through how many pages it was.

"This won't take too long to read. It's only two pages long. Hermione could read it to us while we finish our Transfiguration assignment," Harry voiced as he got out some parchment.

**Chapter One: Painful Changes**** Harry Potter was not a person you would call a normal boy.**

"It's not like I can help that!" Harry piped up, slightly offended.

Hermione rolled her eyes and continued reading.

**For one, he was a wizard and secondly by the Wizarding World, he was considered their 'savior.' Harry's parents, Lily and James Potter, had been killed by the darkest wizard in both the Wizarding and Muggle worlds.**

"Hermione, what are you reading?" Ginny asked as she ran over and sit by Hermione and looked at the book.

"Something Harry found. These two wanted me to read it to them," She explained to Ginny, and then continued.

**He was known as Lord Voldemort. Harry had faced him twice, one time in his first year while attempting to save the Philosopher's stone. ****The second time had been when he had gone to rescue his best friend Ron's little sister Ginny from the Chamber of Secrets where had had met a past fore-shadow of Tom Riddle, Voldemort's original name and his muggle father's name.**

"I haven't defeated Voldemort in the Chamber of Secrets," Harry said.

Hermione shushed him and continued.

**Not many people would be able to survive such events and Harry himself thought it to be a miracle that he had survived. But he firmly believed this with his heart that he would have never made it through if it weren't for his two best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. In first year, it had been Ron who had gotten Harry and Hermione across the chessboard. In second year, it had been Ron's malfunctioned wand that had saved them from getting their memories obliviated. Without either of his best friends he would be dead right now.**

"That's true. I wouldn't be alive without you guys. Well, after the whole Philosopher's stone ordeal," Harry commented.

**Since Harry had no other relatives he was forced to live with the Dursley's, due to a special protection from Lily's half since his Aunt Petunia was his mother's sister making a blood bond between them. While things had never been the best at the Dursley's, which was probably an understatement, considering his needs were never met sufficiently enough in the Dursley household. However, this year things had taken a 360 degree turn since his Uncle Vernon had lost his job. He had been drinking every night and a few times, he had gotten fairly violent.**

"Fairly violent? If fairly violent is what he's like when he's drunk he might as well be a fuzzy bunny every other day," Harry said with a slight sigh.

**It was no surprise that he took out his frustration on Harry but what was surprising that he also took it out on his own son and Petunia if she tried to stop Vernon. Petunia had even tried to help Harry a few times as well as her own son but it seemed that no matter what the woman tried, Vernon wouldn't stop. Harry had heard his aunt crying at night and despite her behavior towards him in the earlier years he felt bad for his aunt. Seeing the bruises and handprints all over her arm made Harry angry, and he had a sudden urge to protect her.**

**It was a strange feeling but he felt as if despite the differences between his aunt and his mother that right now his mother would have stepped in and tried to get her sister away from all this. Harry grit his teeth, wandering if there was a way out at least to protect his aunt, surely Dumbledore would not force him to stay here if there was a risk of domestic violence. He knew it was late but he tiptoed down the stairs, making sure even his aunt didn't hear him and sneaked out the back door.**

**The black-haired boy sat on the grass, his thoughts going to his mother trying to imagine what she would do in such a situation. If only he had known her more, if only there had been someone besides Hagrid to tell him more about his parents. How much he longed in order to find out about how they were, how they fell in love and basically his father and mother's friends. He heard a lot about how he looked so much like his father but had his mother's eyes. But he never knew much about their personality even though Snape always said his father was really arrogant, though that couldn't be true. Even if Snape hated his father he must have known him to say the least and he wandered if Snape knew his mother then dismissed the thought. Snape was a Slytherin, probably a pureblood as well he wouldn't spend time on a muggleborn witch.**

"Snape wouldn't spend a second with my mother. I know that for a fact," Harry muttered.

"Harry! Shush or I'll make you read it," Hermione and Ginny said together, blushing slightly as they finished.

**Harry was snapped out of his thoughts by the sound of barking. He looked and saw a black, shabby looking dog who ran up to him. Harry flinched for a moment but relaxed when the dog simply began to lick some of his wounds. The black-haired boy smiled petting the dog gently with the arm that was less bruised and the dog barked once more.**

**"I'm surprised a dog would be out at this time but I don't mind the company. Probably here it's better than having no company," Harry said softly, surprising himself that he was talking to a dog. He must really be losing it but he was frustrated. No matter what issues he had with his aunt and Dudley, he wouldn't wish them an abusive life and he knew his mother would have been the same way. The dog rested his head on his life, blinking his eyes as if it felt bad for Harry. The black-haired teen would have said more when a scream from his aunt made him jump in surprise.**

**"Hide," Harry muttered to the dog and it was clear it didn't need to be told twice as it ran into a bush. He groaned, wondering what had happened. Weren't his aunt and uncle meant to be asleep by now? It was past midnight after all. He went back inside, grimacing as he saw Vernon throw Petunia to the ground. He wondered what the fight was about this time or if Vernon was just venting his frustrations. He leaned closer to the door and could make out that it was about Dudley. He knew he should probably pretend he hadn't seen anything considering how his aunt usually treated him but knew it wasn't in him to see someone being hurt. He headed inside just as Vernon shoved Petunia into the wall. His uncle's beady eyes landed onto him and Harry met his cold gaze with equal sharpness.**

"I can't believe he's beating her like this! This is horrible!" Hermione gasped.

"I can't see any of this happening! Aunt Petunia is horrible to me. Why would I help her? Well, I can see Uncle Vernon being that way, but only to me. Not anyone else," Harry claimed.

"You would help her in that situation, wouldn't you?" Hermione asked.

Harry thought for a second and then nodded muttering slightly.

**From the corner of his eye, he saw something move and anxiously glanced around. The black dog had gotten away hadn't he? Vernon was merciless right now and he wouldn't care who it was, he'd hurt them. However, whatever he had seen had disappeared. However, turning his back on Vernon wasn't the brightest idea as he used the bat he was hitting Petunia with and smashed it into his stomach hard. The black-haired boy groaned, pain searing into him. At that moment, it felt like nothing was more painful. He could see stars dancing around him and it took a moment for him to compose himself.**

**Returning his attention to his uncle, Harry tried to sit up but his screaming ribs wouldn't let him. He grabbed his chest in pain and looked up at his Uncle nervously.**

**"Why are you taking your anger out on me?" Harry said frowning although it was probably the wrong thing to ask.**

**WHACK!**

"That looks like it hurt, mate. I hope your face is alright," Ron commented.

**Harry's face went numb with pain as his vision blurred more than usual. He tasted blood in his mouth and spit it out. It took Harry a moment to realize that was what was wrong. He or his aunt hadn't done anything. Uncle Vernon was in one of his moods again and nothing he said or did would satisfy the whale of a man.**

"I'm surprised Dumbledore hasn't sent someone by this point! Why isn't he there helping us?!" Harry cried out startled.

This time even Ron glared at him and he went quiet again.

**Petunia let out a startled cry and she tried to grab Vernon's arm but that was the worst thing she could have done in that sort of situation. A large hand grabbed Petunia by her shoulder and easily lifted her in the air.**

**"YOU PATHETIC EXCUSE FOR A WOMAN!" Vernon snarled, smashing his wife's head against the wall. "I CAN'T BELIEVE I EVER MARRIED SOMEONE LIKE YOU! YOU DESERVE ALL THESE BEATINGS YOU GET! YOU'RE NOTHING BUT BAD LUCK ON ME, WHY COULDN'T YOU HAVE GONE AND GOTTEN YOURSELF KILLED LIKE YOUR PATHETIC EXCUSE OF A SISTER?!"**

**Harry's mind felt numb and dizzy. He could see the injuries on Petunia's body but didn't know how to defeat his Uncle as well as protect his aunt without the use of magic. If he used magic, he would be expelled but if he didn't, his aunt might be killed. He gripped his wand, ready to pull it out as there was no other choice right now.**

"Mum was not pathetic! Whoever wrote this has some sick ideas!"

"Harry, whoever wrote this might have a bright idea. What if this is yet to happen?" Hermione brought up.

**The sound of a deep growl from underneath the sofa distracted Uncle Vernon. Petunia wanted nothing more to pass out so she couldn't feel the unbearable pain she was in anymore. What happened next surprised everyone. Vernon dropped Petunia who hit the ground, her eyes opening and closing, her breath weary as if she really was on the verge of unconsciousness.**

**Despite the pain he was in, Harry managed to move over to her and cringed. His aunt had a lot of injuries and from the looks of it, she definitely had a few broken ribs. Looking up, Harry saw a black blur attack the large blur that was Uncle Vernon. He saw the dog he had been talking to attack and concern welled up inside him. He had thought the dog had ran away and hidden. He wanted to tell it to stop but found that his voice had gotten stuck in his throat from everything that happened. As if this night hadn't been crazy enough, it just got crazier as the dog shape-shifted into a human. The man had long black hair and his robes looked like they hadn't been changed in years.**

"Who the heck is the stranger?!" Ron blurted out, reading the pages over Hermione's shoulder.

Harry joined him and they both propped their heads on either side of Hermione's chair back.

"Sh! Maybe it'll say a name or something."

**Vernon stumbled backwards towards the door. "You—you're one of those freaks!" he stuttered fearfully. "How—how—" **

**It gave Harry a twinge of satisfaction seeing his Uncle tremble in fear like he had made his aunt do so moments ago. Speaking of which, Harry returned his attention to his aunt.**

**"Aunt Petunia?" Harry whispered. "Can you hear me?"**

"Nope, she can't possibly hear you," Fred said sarcastically from the corner of the room.

"Shut it!" Hermione snapped.

**"H-Harry..." Petunia managed to mutter weakly. "Run away. I'd go with you...but I can't leave Dudley..."**

**"You should both leave," The man said slowly looking at them. "It isn't safe here, I've only knocked him out and the two of you need medical attention."**

**Petunia took a shaky breath, albeit she swayed heavily causing Harry to steady her and looked at the man.**

"Who is he?! Why am I letting him tell me to leave! What is going on?" Harry ranted.

"It will explain!" The other three yelled at Harry.

**"Take Harry," Petunia whispered. "I'll be alright. Harry..." She looked at the boy and for the first time ever, she put a hand to her nephew's cheek. "I never hated Lily...ever. She was an amazing person...and it's because of her...I'm telling you to run away..." She trembled and tears ran down her cheeks.**

**Harry shook his head. He blinked back tears and knew he couldn't leave his aunt not now. However, his vision was beginning to blur and just as he reached to pick his aunt up to support her, his world went black and he passed out.**

"NO! That's not how it could end! If she didn't hate Lily why'd she always act like it! Read chapter two," Harry demanded, trying to flip the page.

"No, Harry. You saw the note. We can read the next chapter in a few days. The book could be cursed. You'd never know," Hermione stated.

Ron nodded. They all sighed as if they wanted to continue. Ginny grinned.

"I say Hermione should read it when we do read it next," She suggested.

"I want Ron to read it," Harry said nonchalantly.

They would debate who got to read next for the next few days while they waited for the next Saturday.


End file.
